Pros/Cons

Specs

DJI has raised the bar yet again with the Phantom 4 Pro. It has taken the already spectacular Phantom 4 and made it even better. The improvements to the Phantom 4 Pro are not just subtle changes. They have improved the camera, collision avoidance systems, remote, flight modes, speed and even the battery. That means you can take better pictures, fly longer and fly further. The flight time has been improved to 30 minutes and the new controller gives you over 4 miles of range.

You now have two color options for the Phantom 4 Pro.

The Phantom 4 Pro Camera

The camera has been upgraded to a 1-inch 20-megapixel sensor and it has an f/2.8 lens set. The improved camera is capable of capturing 4K video at 60 fps. The mechanical shutter makes the camera even better for still photography and boasts and excellent burst mode to capture the perfect shot. The wider dynamic range on this camera is better in low light situations and works to reduce video effects like horizontal lines and jello. The much larger sensor pushes this camera down two stops in light gathering power!

Take a look at the Phantom 4 Pro Obsidian

The original Phantom 4 camera was fantastic and this takes it to a whole other level. There are several software improvements in the video capture on the Mavic that make the unedited video off the drone more pleasing in some situations than the original Phantom 4. DJI has promised that these improvements are carried over from the Mavic to the Phantom 4 Pro. With both hardware and software improvements, there is no doubt that this camera will outperform the Mavic and all previous Phantom models. If you love Phantoms and you are a camera junkie then this is definitely the drone to buy.

Features and Flight Modes

The collision avoidance system has been upgraded to include sensors on the rear and the sides of the aircraft. The new rear sensors work as high-resolution stereo sensors like the front sensors and work in tandem with the new infrared sensors on the sides as well as the bottom sensors of the drone to help avoid obstacles. This helps project a wide 30-meter field to help protect your drone in flight. The Phantom 4 Pro senses for obstacles in five directions as it flies. The new sensors help the drone add new flight ActiveTrack modes. It can do profile tracking in horizontal mode, lock on a target and even fly in reverse during TapFly.

An optional upgrade for the Phantom 4 Pro is the addition of a new remote with a built-in LCD screen that is twice as bright as most smartphones. This allows you to forgo the smartphone or tablet connection and adds 5.8GHz transmission. The remote will intelligently switch between 2.4GHz and 5.8GHz to ensure you are flying without interference. With this new remote the Phantom 4 range is extended to 4.3 miles. This controller also simplifies preflight setup and reduces video lag. In addition to the new optional remote, DJI has designed a new more robust battery that can extend flight time up to 30 minutes.

The Phantom 4 Pro is an excellent drone. It has by far the best-in-class camera as well as best-in-class obstacle avoidance and flight modes. The original Phantom 4 is still a fantastic machine and is a few hundred dollars less. Check out our full review of the Phantom 4 here or check its lower price on Amazon here. For a full comparison of this year’s hottest DJI drones check out the world’s most complete and relevant comparison table below.

So, what’s the best drone?

That really depends on you. If you want the best no holds barred consumer drone then the Phantom 4 Pro is hard to say no to. If you want to save a few hundred dollars the original Phantom 4 is still better than almost everything out there. If you think portability is important the Mavic is an awesome choice. If this is your first advanced drone then maybe you should take a look at the Phantom 3 Standard. It has a lot of great features and costs $500-1000 less than these newer models.